In Gadhafi's Compound: A Condoleezza Rice Photo Album

By: Mark Memmott
August 25, 2011

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Guns. Cars. Artwork. Statues.

And an album full of photos of former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Odd as that may sound, what appears to be something of a keepsake about Rice — who Moammar Gadhafi once referred to as "my darling black African woman" and of whom he said, "I love her very much" — was found by opposition fighters as they searched and ransacked the Libyan leader's compound in Tripoli.

"Rice and Qadhafi are no strangers — the two shared an intimate, late-night dinner together three years ago, as Qadhafi broke the Ramadan fast. 'The strong scent of incense hung heavy in the air,' wrote The Washington Post in September 2008. 'His [Qadhafi's] face lit up when he saw Rice ... Gaddafi simply placed his right hand over his chest, a traditional and respectful welcome.'

"At the time of their 2008 meeting, Rice was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Libya since then-Vice President Richard Nixon visited in 1957."

Update at 3:25 p.m. ET. State Department comment:

At the State Department today, spokeswoman Victoria Nuland was asked by a reporter about the "bizarre and somewhat creepy scrapbook" found in Gadhafi's compound.

Nuland said she had not heard about it, then added that "I don't need to see the photos, but bizarre and creepy are good adjectives to describe much of Gadhafi's behavior."

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